Lock device for doors, shutters or the like



Dec- 13, 1966 G. E. w. LEWIN LOCK DEVICE FOB DOORS, SHUTTERS OR THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 4, 1964 DCC. 13, 1966 G. E, W. LEWlN LOCK DEVICE FOR DOORS, SHUTTERS OR THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 4, 1964 INVENTOQ gun/mr ift/.Le WH? United States Patent O 3,291,512 LOCK DEVICE FOR DOORS, SHUTTERS OR THE LIKE Gunnar Erik Werner Lewin, Hastangsvagen 12, Viggbyholm, Sweden Filed Mar. 4, 1964, Ser. No. 349,410 Claims. (Cl. 292-70) This invention relates to a lock device for doors, shutters or the like, comprising a cog wheel type locking bar that is turnable by jerky steps and adapted to cooperate with a locking plate engaging with the gaps between the cogs, the said locking bar mounted on a through shaft in two slots provided in the opposite sides of a Alock casing accommodating the lock device and displaceable towards the -said locking plate by Vaction of a compression spring.

Lock devices of the aforesaid type are known. Their locking bar is locked in various positions of turning by means of a spring loaded member which is pressed into a gap between two cogs of the said shaft-mounted cogwheel. The known lock devices have, however, the drawback that the `spring-loaded member performs a movement corresponding in length to the depth of the cog gap. As a result thereof, the lock device causes bangs and `disturbing noises, for example when a door is shut.

Moreover, the shutting is performed rapidly with these conventional lock devices, so that the edge of the door strikes against the door frame with ya loud sound. A lock device of this type need not be made as a slide locking bar, because the rotary locking bar is turnable, but the rotary locking bar should neither require more power for shutting than required for releasing the locking mechanism. Othewise, the shutting is rendered more diflicult and may even fail entirely when the closing motion is not strong enough.

Furthermore, it is only with great difficulties possible to mount the locking plate on the door frame or the like, due to the fact that the conventional locking platesare provided with two or more round mounting holes through which screws are screwed into the door frame for securing the locking plate thereon. The locking plate cannot be moved out of the position thus obtained, neither inwards nor outwards, for adjustment to the locking position of the lock device, except by employing additional force.

This invention has for its object to produce a lock device of the type above referred to, which is easy to lock, has an easily actuated release mechanism for locking and which, when shutting is performed produces neither bangs nor other disturbing noises. In addition, the lockin-g plate should be easy to mount and adjust, thereby eliminating the drawbacks connected with the known type of mounting. According to the invention, this is achieved in that an intermediate part which has one end formed into a guide for the spring and the other end adapted to guide the inter-mediate part relative to the locking bar and to fix the locking bar in its various positions, is provided between the -spring and a ratchet wheel that is rigidly connected with the locking bar and has the same pitch as the latter, but a lower cog height.

The end of the intermediate part cooperating with the locking bar may be designed as a fork which encloses the ratchet wheel, the said wheel located between two halves whereof the said locking bar is composed. The bifurcated end of the intermediate part is preferably provided with a recess in the bottom of the fork with a ball or roller arranged therein to reduce the friction of resistance when the locking bar is being turned.

The cog gaps of the locking bar may be located radially in the direction of the cog gaps of the ratchet wheel or in staggered arrange-ment relative to the said cog gaps.

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The cross-section of the locking bar may have the shape of a polygon, for example a quadrangle, the cog gaps being arranged at the end of each side.

In practice, the locking plate may be provided with a mounting plate comprising a member adapted to cooperate both with the locking `bar located on the inside of the door, and with -means for limiting the shutting depth of the door, shutter or the like.

The said member cooperating with the locking bar may be a longitudinal flange pr'ojecting vertically from the mounting plate, the 'outer edge of the flange having a radius which may preferably exceed half the ilange thickness.

The said limiting means may be two shoulders projecting vertically from the mounting plate and spaced equally from the said member.

For securing the locking plate, the mounting plate may be provided with a slot extending transverse to its longitudinal direction, and with at least one additional mounting hole.

For mounting the locking plate of the lock device according to the invention, the mounting plate is preferably .tightened so close to the frame by means of a screw extending through the end of the slot located closest to the said member, that the locking plate may just be displaced on the frame. Thereafter the door is closed, causing the locking plate to be displaced inwards on the frame. The door is then closed and the mounting plate secured in final position by means of screws extending through each of the mounting holes.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing by way of embodiments, whereof FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section through the lock device along the line I-I of FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 shows a horizontal view, partially in section,

FIG. 3 shows a modified embodiment in a longitudinal section, as in FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 schows a cross-section through the locking plate, and p FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the locking plate.

Referring to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a lock casing 1 comprises a bottom 2, a roof 3 and two side walls 4. The side walls 4 lare provided with two slots 5 with `a shaft 6 projecting therethrough. The said shaft is, thus, slidable in the slots 5. A locking bar rigidly secured to the shaft 6 consists of two halves 7 and 8 between which a ratchet wheel 9 is mounted rigidly and nonrotary on the shaft 6, which wheel has the same pitch as the said halves 7 and 8.

The ratchet wheel 9 has a smaller diameter than the locking bar halves 7 and `8, which thus form between themselves an annular space 10 receiving one end of an intermediate member 11. The other end of the said intermediate member 11 forms a guide 12 for a compression spring 13 provided between the bottom 2 of the lock casing 1 land a shoulder 14 on the intermediate member 11. One end of the intermediate member 11 is formed like a fork 15 enclosing the ratchet wheel 9 and enclosed -by the locking bar halves 7 and 8.

A blocking means, in the embodiment shown, a roller 16 is provided at the bottom of the work 15 and pressed by the spring action into a cog gap 18 in the ratchet wheel 9. As appears from FIGS. l and 2, the ratchet wheel has two circular discs 17 with the oog lgaps 1S therebetween. While the roller 16 is pressed into the cog gaps 18, the fork 15 is guided along the circular parts 17.

In the embodiment according to FIGS. l and 2, the cog gaps in the locking .bar 7, 8 are arranged radially to the cog .gaps 18 in the Iratchet wheel 9.

FIG. 3 shows a different embodiment of the lock device.

The halves 19 of the locking bar are almost quadrangular, and at one end of each side a cog Igap 20 is provided. Furthermore, the cog gaps 20 in the locking bar halves 19 `and the cog gaps 21 in the ratchet wheel 22 lare in staggered arrangement relative to each other. In other respects the embodiment according to FIG. 3 agrees with that shown in FIGS. l and 2.

The lock device according to FIGS. l yand 2 operates as follows:

In lock devices of this type the inoperative position and the operative position `are almost the same, i.e. the locking bar occupies the same position both in inoperative and in operative state, but for .being turned one pitch forwards. Furthermore, in its inoperative position the locking bar is .displaced to the ends of the slots 5 which are remote from the bottom 2 of the lock casing. In this initial position, the locking plate 23 is capable to turn the locking bar when the door is being closed. The locking bar halves 7 and 8 as well as the ratchet wheel 9 are hereby turned in the direction of the arrow A, while at the same time the intermediate member 11 and the roller 16 are pressed up from their cog gap 18 of the ratchet wheel 9. When the roller 16 has reached the vertex of the cog of the ratchet wheel 9, the ratchet wheel .and thus also the loc-king bar are turned ahead by action of compression spring 13. The said operation is the same when the door is being opened, i.e. the locking bar 7, 8 turns reciprocatingly about its shaft 6. Due to the great difference in height between the cogs of the ratchet wheel 9 and the cogs of the locking ibar halves 7, 8 a very soft and agreeable closing of the door or shutter is achieved.

The softness in closing the door is still improved in the embodiment according to FIG. 3, due to the fact that the cog gaps 20 in the locking bar halves 19 are staggered relative to the oog gaps 21 in the ratchet wheel 22. Depending on the tension of the spring 13, the embodiment 3 may even operate in such a manner that the plane surfaces of the circumference of the locking bar halves act as slide locking bar, the locking bar 19 being turned only when the door is being closed, but displaced parallel to itself in the slots 5 when the door is being opened.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show how easily and accurately the locking plate 23 may be mounted on a door frame 24 of a door 2S, the lock device supported on the inside of the door. The locking 'bar 26 is adapted to :be turned jerkily between two positions. With the door closed, lthe locking bar cooperates with the locking plate 23 comprising a mounting plate 27 with a member 28 which cooperates both With the locking bar 26 and with means 29 limiting the closing depth of the door in the frame 24.

The said member 28 is a longitudinal flange projecting vertically from the mounting plate 27, the flange edge remote from the mounting plate having a radius exceeding half the flange thickness. As a result thereof, a bead is formed along the flange with which the locking bar 26 cooperates when the door is being closed.

The said limiting means 29 are spaced equally from the flange 28. For securing the locking plate on the door frame 24, the mounting plate 27 is provided with three mounting holes whereof the hole 30 in the middle has a slot extending transverse to the mounting plate 27, while the holes 31 and 32 are 'of circular shape.

The `locking plate is mounted as follows:

By means of a screw inserted through the end of slot 30 located closest to the flange, the plate 27 is tightened so much that it can just still be displaced. The door or the like is then closed, whereby the inside of the door is pressed against the limiting means 29, thus displacing the entire locking plate inwards. When thereafter the door is opened, the locking plate can be fixed definitely by means of two screws inserted through the holes 7 and 8.

Subsequent to securin-g the locking plate on the door frame, the door is in a locking position defined by the said limiting means 29. When the locking Ibar is springloaded in both positions, the door is prevented both from strinking `and chattering, due to the fact that the locking plate is retained effectively between the inside of the door and the locking bar 26.

The invention is not restricted to the em-bodiments described and illustrated, but may be modified in various ways within the scope of the inventive idea.

What I claim is:

1. A lock device for a door, shutter, or the like comprising a casing having two opposed slots therein, a shaft slidably mounted in said slots, spaced cog wheels mounted on said shaft, said shaft and cog wheels forming a locking bar, a locking plate cooperating with said cog wheels, an intermediate member located in said casing, a compression spring in said casing cooperating with said intermediate member urging it towards said locking plate, blocking means upon said locking bar, said intermediate member having one end formed as a guide for said spring and the other end cooperating with said blocking means to guide said intermediate member relative to said locking bar and to fix said locking Ibar in various positions, said blocking means comprising -a ratchet wheel on said shaft between said cog wheels having a lower cog height with respect to said cog wheels and a roller cooperating with said intermediate member and the cogs on said ratchet wheel.

2. A lock device for a door, shutter or the like comprising a casing having two opposed slots therein, a shaft comprising a casing having two opposed slots therein, a shaft slidably mounted in said slots, spaced cog wheels mounted on said shaft, said shaft and cog wheels forming a locking bar, a locking plate cooperating with said cog wheels, an intermediate member located in said casing, a compression spring in said casing cooperating with said intermediate member urging it towards said locking plate, blocking means upon said locking bar, said intermediate member having one end formed as a guide for said spring and the other end cooperating with said blocking means to guide said intermediate member relative to said locking bar and to fix said locking bar in various positions, said .blocking means comprising a ratchet wheel on said shaft betwen said cog wheels having a lower cog height with respect to said cog wheels, the end of said intermediate member cooperating with said blocking means being fork-shaped and enclosing said ratchet wheel.

3. A lock device for a door, shutter or the like comprising a casing having two opposed slots therein, a shaft comprising a casing having two opposed slots therein, a shaft slidably mounted in said slots, spaced oog wheels mounted on said shaft, said shaft and cog wheels forming a locking bar, a locking plate cooperating with said cog wheels, an intermediate member located in said casing, a compression spring in said casing cooperating with said intermediate member urging it towards said locking plate, blocking means upon said locking bar, said intermediate member having one end formed as a guide for said spring and the other end cooperating with said blocking means to guide said intermediate member relative to said locking bar and to fix said locking bar in various positions, said blocking means comprising a ratchet wheel on said shaft ybetween said cog wheels having a lower oog height with respect to said cog wheels, said intermediate member having a forked end cooperating with said blocking means and a recess located in the bottom of said forked end and a roller located in said recess cooperating with said ratchet wheel for reducing frictional resistance when said locking bar is turned.

4. A lock device for a door, shutter or the like comprising a casing having two opposed slots therein, a shaft lcomprising a casing having two opposed slots therein, a shaft slidably mounted in said slots, spaced cog wheels 'mounted on said shaft, said shaft and cog wheels forming a locking bar, a locking plate cooperating with said cog wheels, an intermediate member located in said casing, a compression spring in said casing cooperating with said intermediate member urging it towards said locking plate, blocking means upon said locking bar, said intermediate member having one end formed as a yguide for said spring and the other end cooperatin-g with said blocking means to guide said intermediate member relative to said locking bar and to tix said locking bar in various positions, said blocking means comprising a ra-tchet wheel on said shaft .between said cog wheels having `a lower cog height with respect to said cog Wheels, the cog Iga-ps upon said cog wheels extending radially in the same direction as the oog gaps of said ratchet wheel,

5. A lock device for a door, shutter or the like comprising a casing having two opposed slots therein, a shaft comprising a casing having two opposed slots therein, a shaft slidably mounted in said slots, spaced cog wheels mounted on said shaft, said shaft land cog wheels forming a locking bar, 4a locking plate cooperating with said cog wheels, an intermediate member located in said casing, a compression spring in said casing cooperating with said intermediate member urging it towards said locking plate, blocking means upon said locking bar, said intermediate member having one end for-med as a guide for said spring and the other end cooperating with said blocking means to guide said intermediate member relative to said locking bar and to tix said locking bar in various positions, said blocking means comprising a ratchet wheel on said shaft between said cog Wheels having a lower co-g height with respect to said cog wheels, the cog gaps of said cog wheels are staggered in relation to the oog gaps of said ratchet wheel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 599,667 2/1898 Wade 292-72 1,148,334 7/ 1915 Piotrowski 292-72 1,459,701 6/1923 Willis 292-175 X 2,402,939 7/ 1946 Au'slan'der et al. 292-70 X 2,964,346 12/1960 Check 292-340 FOREIGN PATENTS 804 1/1900 Austria. 176 1/1859 Great Britain. 945,209 12/196'3 Great Britain. 543,843 5/ 1956 Italy.

EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examiner.

J. R. MOSES, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A LOCK DEVICE FOR A DOOR, SHUTTER, OR THE LIKE COMPRISING A CASING HAVING TWO OPPOSED SLOTS THEREIN, A SHAFT SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAID SLOTS, SPACED COG WHEELS MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT, SAID SHAFT AND COG WHEELS FORMING A LOCKING BAR, A LOCKING PLATE COOPERATING WITH SAID COG WHEELS, AN INTERMEDIATE MEMBER LOCATED IN SAID CASING, A COMPRESSION SPRING IN SAID CASING COOPERATING WITH SAID INTERMEDIATE MEMBER URGING IT TOWARDS SAID LOCKING PLATE, BLOCKING MEANS UPON SAID LOCKING BAR, SAID INTERMEDIATE MEMBER HAVING ONE END FORMED AS A GUIDE FOR SAID SPRING AND THE OTHER END COOPERATING WITH SAID BLOCKING MEANS TO GUIDE INTERMEDIATE MEMBERS RELATIVE TO SAID LOCKING BAR AND TO FIX AND LOCKING BAR IN VARIOUS POSITIONS, SAID BLOCKING MEANS COMPRISING A RATCHET WHEEL ON SAID SHAFT BETWEEN SAID COG WHEELS HAVING A LOWER COG HEIGHT WITH RESPECT TO SAID COG WHEELS AND A ROLLER COOPERATING WITH SAID INTERMEDIATE MEMBER AND THE COGS ON SAID RATCHET WHEEL. 